Buy a Custom Fish Chinese or Japanese Calligraphy Wall Scroll

We have many options to create artwork with the Chinese characters / Asian symbols / Japanese Kanji for Fish on a wall scroll or portrait.
If you want to create a cool Fish wall scroll, this is the place. Below you will find a few Asian symbols that express the idea of Fish.


  1. Fish

  2. Koi Fish

  3. Carp / Koi Fish

  4. Koi Fish / Nishiki Goi

  5. Without a big net, how can you catch fish?

  6. Drain the pond to get all the fish

  7. Goldfish

  8. Teach A Man To Fish

  9. Trigger Fish

10. Year-In Year-Out Have Abundance

11. A Bright Future

12. Kun

13. Mermaid

14. Mermaid / Merman

15. Shark

16. Suzuki

17. Tuna

18. Yellow

19. Pisces

20. Beautiful Woman Proverb


 yú
 sakana / gyo / uo
 
Fish Scroll

魚 is the character that means fish in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

 lǐ
 koi
 
Koi Fish Scroll

鯉 is the Japanese Kanji that created the title “koi fish.” 鯉 is pronounced “koi” in Japanese.

Here is the reality: 鯉 actually means “carp” in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja. Koi fish really are carp (by species) and were bred to obtain colorful variations in ancient China. Some generations later, some of these colorful fish were transported to Japan, where they also became vastly popular.

Note: Please see our other entry for koi fish (Nishiki Goi) which is a more normal selection for a Japanese koi fish enthusiast to have on their wall.

Carp / Koi Fish

 lǐ yú
Carp / Koi Fish Scroll

鯉魚 is one Chinese title for what westerners call “koi fish.”

This literally means “carp fish” (which is what koi fish really are).

You probably want the other title, which is more specific to the colorful fish that you are thinking of. Look for “Nishiki Goi” on our website.

Koi Fish / Nishiki Goi

 jǐn lǐ
 nishiki goi
Koi Fish / Nishiki Goi Scroll

If you like or collect and maintain koi fish, 錦鯉 is the wall scroll for you.

Technically, this is a certain and revered species of “koi fish” in Japan, but it is the most normal selection for a wall scroll (more normal than the actual Kanji for “koi” or “fish” alone.

This literally means “brocade carp” or “embroidered carp.” This term is also used to mean the same thing in China (which is the origin of koi fish breeding and cultivation, several generations before they became popular in Japan).

For those of you that don't know, the Kanji for “koi” (which is pronounced “goi” in this entry) really means “carp.” If you want the word that means “koi fish,” it would just be the generic word for “carp fish.” That would include both colorful carp and the more mundane gray carp (the ones people eat if they don't mind lots of bones).

Without a big net, how can you catch fish?

 bù sā dà wǎng bù dé dà yú
Without a big net, how can you catch fish? Scroll

不撒大網不得大魚 is a Chinese proverb that literally translates as: [if one does] not cast a big net, [one can] not get big fish.

Figuratively, this means: One cannot make great accomplishments without making great efforts or taking great pains.

This is sort of the fishing version of, “No pain, no gain.”

Drain the pond to get all the fish

Kill the goose that lays the golden eggs

 jié zé ér yú
Drain the pond to get all the fish Scroll

In 632 BC, Duke Wen of the Kingdom of Jin was about to lead an army against the forces of the Kingdom of Chu.
The Duke asked one of his advisers, Jiu Fan, how they could win the impending battle, as they were drastically outnumbered.
Jiu Fan said, “All is fair in war,” and suggested a plan of dishonorable tactics (cheating).
The Duke was unsure of this advice, so he asked another adviser, Yong Ji, who replied, “If you catch fish by draining the pond, you can certainly get all the fish. But there will be no fish the following year. You can cheat this one time in battle, but such tactics can only be used once, as the enemy will be wise in future encounters.”

The Duke heard the words of his wiser adviser but cheated to gain victory in the battle. However, he rewarded Yong Ji more than Jiu Fan at the victory celebration, stating that while Jiu Fan's advice gained one victory, the wise words of Yong Ji would last forever.

This Chinese idiom/proverb is still used, over 2600 years later to remind people not to burn bridges, cheat, or dishonor themselves in exchange for a short-term gain while sacrificing the future.

竭澤而漁 is very similar to the meaning of the English phrase, “Kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.”

 jīn yú
 kin gyo
Goldfish Scroll

金魚 is the title for goldfish in Chinese and Japanese.

There was a time in ancient China when only the Emperor could possess the actual yellow-gold colored fish. This is why alternate coloration such as orange, black, red, and white was bred. Many believe this is why colors other than yellow-gold are more common for “goldfish” in pet shops today.

Teach A Man To Fish

 shòu rén yǐ yú bù rú shòu rén yǐ yú
Teach A Man To Fish Scroll

授人以魚不如授人以漁 is the Chinese version of the proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

This implies that knowledge is the best charity.

Trigger Fish

 bān jī yú
Trigger Fish Scroll

扳機魚 is the Chinese title for the Trigger Fish.

Year-In Year-Out Have Abundance

 nián nián yǒu yú
Year-In Year-Out Have Abundance Scroll

年年有餘 is a common proverb or wish of prosperity you'll hear around the time of Chinese New Year.

Directly translated character by character, it means “Year Year Have Surplus.” A more natural English translation including the deeper meaning would be “Every Year may you Have Abundance in your life.”

On a side note, this phrase often goes with a gift of something related to fish. This is because the last character, “yu” which means surplus or abundance, has exactly the same pronunciation in Mandarin as the word for “fish.”

This is also one of the most common titles for traditional paintings that feature koi fish.

In China, this phrase might make an odd wall scroll - a customer asked especially for this common phrase which is why it appears here. See my other abundance-related words if you want a wall scroll that will seem more comfortable in Chinese culture.

Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly used term.


See Also:  Prosperity | Good Fortune

A Bright Future

Incredible 10,000-Mile Flight of the Peng

 péng chéng wàn lǐ
A Bright Future Scroll

鵬程萬里 is an ancient Chinese proverb used in modern times to wish someone a long and successful career.

It's really about the 10,000 Flight of the Peng (Peng, also known as Roc is a mythical fish that can turn into a bird and take flight).

Zhuangzi

莊子
Zhuangzi or Chuang Tzu

Breaking down each character:
1. Peng or Roc (a kind of bird).
2. Journey (in this case, a flight).
3. 10,000 (Ten Thousand).
4. Li is a unit of distance often referred to as a “Chinese Mile,” though the real distance is about half a kilometer.

Direct Translation: “Peng's Journey [of] 10,000 Li.”
Literal meaning: “The 10,000-Li Flying Range Of The Roc.”
Perceived meaning: “To have a bright future” or “To go far.”

This proverb/idiom comes from the book of Zhuangzi or Chuang Tzu. It tells the tale of a huge fish that could turn into a gigantic bird. This bird was called a “peng” and was many miles long. This legendary size allowed the Peng to fly from the Northern Sea to the Southern Sea in a single bound.

Wishing someone “a Peng's Journey of 10,000 Li” will imply that they can travel far without stopping and will have great success, a long career, and a prosperous future.

Kun

Sea Creature

 kūn
 kon
 
Kun Scroll

A 鲲 (Kun) is a famous sea monster, often associated or used interchangeably with a 鵬 (Peng).

鯤 is comparable to Leviathan or Jonah's whale.

In Chinese mythology, the Kun is a giant fish said to be able to turn into a bird.

鯤 and the mythological creature is also known in Japanese and Korean. However, in some contexts, this character can refer to fry (fish babies).

 měi rén yú
Mermaid Scroll

美人魚 is the Chinese word for mermaid.

It literally means “beautiful human fish.”

Mermaid / Merman

(Unisex)

 rén yú
 nin gyo
Mermaid / Merman Scroll

人魚 is the Japanese Kanji, Korean Hanja, and Chinese word for “merman” or “mermaid.”

It literally means “human fish.”

人魚 is a non-gender-specific or unisex word in all three languages.

 shā
 haze
 
Shark Scroll

This single Chinese character means shark.

However, in Japanese, it can refer to the family of goby fish.

鯊 is good if you're looking for the word shark in Chinese and Japanese folks might misunderstand it.

 shā yú
Shark Scroll

鯊魚 means shark (literally “shark fish”) in Chinese.

 su zu ki
Suzuki Scroll

This is the Japanese Katakana name for Suzuki (Japanese automobile and motorcycle manufacturer).

This name can also refer to a fish (specifically a sea bass or perch).


Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

 wěi
 maguro
 
Tuna Scroll

鮪 is the Chinese and Japanese character for tuna.

In Chinese, this is usually used to mean the “little tunny” (Euthynnus alletteratus), the most common tuna in the Atlantic Ocean. However, it can refer to any fish of the Thunnus genus.

In Japanese, it can refer to the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis).

Yellow

Yellow Color

 huáng
 hon / kou
 
Yellow Scroll

黃 is the single character for the color yellow in Chinese.

This can be a Chinese surname Huang or a Korean surname Hwang.

In China, yellow is traditionally the color of the emperor. In fact, there was a time when only the emperor could wear yellow clothing or own yellow pet fish.
Note: Goldfish were bred originally in China for the emperor. When the perfect yellow fish was bred, all but the emperor were banned from owning any. Thus a more orange-colored goldfish dominated the market.

Notes: 黃 is not a common selection for a wall scroll. In certain contexts in China, yellow can refer to pornography or vice.


黄This character is written with a slight variation in Simplified Chinese and modern Japanese. Click on the image to the right if you want this alternate version.

Pisces Zodiac Symbol / Sign

 shuāng yú zuò
Pisces Zodiac Symbol / Sign Scroll

雙魚座 is the Chinese way to write Pisces (fish) from western astrology.

Please note this version is only used in Chinese (see the other version if Japanese is your audience).


See Also:  Chinese Zodiac

Pisces Zodiac Symbol / Sign

 yú zuò
 uo-za
Pisces Zodiac Symbol / Sign Scroll

魚座 is the Japanese way to write Pisces (fish) of western astrology.

Please note this version is only used in Japanese (see the other version if Chinese is your audience).


See Also:  Chinese Zodiac

Beautiful Woman Proverb

 chén yú luò yàn
 chin gyo raku gan
Beautiful Woman Proverb Scroll

沈魚落雁 is an old proverb that literally means “fish sink, goose alights.”

...But this takes some explaining. This is a proverb from Zhuangzi (莊子), who lived in the late 4th century BC.

This figuratively refers to female beauty that is so captivating that even the birds and beasts take notice.

Perhaps a better and more accurate way to describe this is to say that it speaks of the charms of a uniquely beautiful woman who is so beautiful that fish stay on the bottom of the water and flying wild geese fall from the sky in shame.

This proverb is so famous that it is also known and used in Japan (same characters, different pronunciation).


Note: This can also be written 沉魚落雁 instead of 沈魚落雁 (just the first character varies slightly).




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The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...

Title CharactersRomaji (Romanized Japanese)Various forms of Romanized Chinese
Fish
sakana / gyo / uoyú / yu2 / yu
Koi Fish
koilǐ / li3 / li
Carp
Koi Fish
鯉魚
鲤鱼
lǐ yú / li3 yu2 / li yu / liyuli yü / liyü
Koi Fish
Nishiki Goi
錦鯉
锦鲤
nishiki goi
nishikigoi
jǐn lǐ / jin3 li3 / jin li / jinlichin li / chinli
Without a big net, how can you catch fish?不撒大網不得大魚
不撒大网不得大鱼
bù sā dà wǎng bù dé dà yú
bu4 sa1 da4 wang3 bu4 de2 da4 yu2
bu sa da wang bu de da yu
busadawangbudedayu
pu sa ta wang pu te ta yü
pusatawangputetayü
Drain the pond to get all the fish竭澤而漁
竭泽而渔
jié zé ér yú
jie2 ze2 er2 yu2
jie ze er yu
jiezeeryu
chieh tse erh yü
chiehtseerhyü
Goldfish金魚
金鱼
kin gyo / kingyojīn yú / jin1 yu2 / jin yu / jinyuchin yü / chinyü
Teach A Man To Fish授人以魚不如授人以漁
授人以鱼不如授人以渔
shòu rén yǐ yú bù rú shòu rén yǐ yú
shou4 ren2 yi3 yu2 bu4 ru2 shou4 ren2 yi3 yu2
shou ren yi yu bu ru shou ren yi yu
shou jen i yü pu ju shou jen i yü
Trigger Fish扳機魚
扳机鱼
bān jī yú
ban1 ji1 yu2
ban ji yu
banjiyu
pan chi yü
panchiyü
Year-In Year-Out Have Abundance年年有餘
年年有馀
nián nián yǒu yú
nian2 nian2 you3 yu2
nian nian you yu
niannianyouyu
nien nien yu yü
niennienyuyü
A Bright Future鵬程萬里
鹏程万里
péng chéng wàn lǐ
peng2 cheng2 wan4 li3
peng cheng wan li
pengchengwanli
p`eng ch`eng wan li
pengchengwanli
peng cheng wan li
Kun
konkūn / kun1 / kunk`un / kun
Mermaid美人魚
美人鱼
měi rén yú
mei3 ren2 yu2
mei ren yu
meirenyu
mei jen yü
meijenyü
Mermaid
Merman
人魚
人鱼
nin gyo / ningyorén yú / ren2 yu2 / ren yu / renyujen yü / jenyü
Shark
hazeshā / sha1 / sha
Shark鯊魚
鲨鱼
shā yú / sha1 yu2 / sha yu / shayusha yü / shayü
Suzukiスズキsu zu ki / suzuki
Tuna
magurowěi / wei3 / wei
Yellow
hon / kou / hon / kohuáng / huang2 / huang
Pisces Zodiac Symbol
Sign
雙魚座
双鱼座
shuāng yú zuò
shuang1 yu2 zuo4
shuang yu zuo
shuangyuzuo
shuang yü tso
shuangyütso
Pisces Zodiac Symbol
Sign
魚座
鱼座
uo-zayú zuò / yu2 zuo4 / yu zuo / yuzuoyü tso / yütso
Beautiful Woman Proverb沈魚落雁
沈鱼落雁
chin gyo raku gan
chingyorakugan
chén yú luò yàn
chen2 yu2 luo4 yan4
chen yu luo yan
chenyuluoyan
ch`en yü lo yen
chenyüloyen
chen yü lo yen
In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line.
In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese.


Dictionary

Lookup in my Japanese & Chinese Dictionary

All of our calligraphy wall scrolls are handmade.

When the calligrapher finishes creating your artwork, it is taken to my art mounting workshop in Beijing where a wall scroll is made by hand from a combination of silk, rice paper, and wood.
After we create your wall scroll, it takes at least two weeks for air mail delivery from Beijing to you.

Allow a few weeks for delivery. Rush service speeds it up by a week or two for $10!

When you select your calligraphy, you'll be taken to another page where you can choose various custom options.


A nice Chinese calligraphy wall scroll

The wall scroll that Sandy is holding in this picture is a "large size"
single-character wall scroll.
We also offer custom wall scrolls in small, medium, and an even-larger jumbo size.

A professional Chinese Calligrapher

Professional calligraphers are getting to be hard to find these days.
Instead of drawing characters by hand, the new generation in China merely type roman letters into their computer keyboards and pick the character that they want from a list that pops up.

There is some fear that true Chinese calligraphy may become a lost art in the coming years. Many art institutes in China are now promoting calligraphy programs in hopes of keeping this unique form of art alive.

Trying to learn Chinese calligrapher - a futile effort

Even with the teachings of a top-ranked calligrapher in China, my calligraphy will never be good enough to sell. I will leave that to the experts.

A high-ranked Chinese master calligrapher that I met in Zhongwei

The same calligrapher who gave me those lessons also attracted a crowd of thousands and a TV crew as he created characters over 6-feet high. He happens to be ranked as one of the top 100 calligraphers in all of China. He is also one of very few that would actually attempt such a feat.



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